Configuration of a single point bus arbitration scheme using on-chip

Abstract

A method and apparatus for configuring a single point arbitration scheme for a commonly accessed communication bus using bus master devices with arbitration control circuitry included therein. Bus master devices including arbitration control circuitry may be connected to an arbitration control bus over which signals for arbitrating control to the commonly accessed communications bus are provided. During a configuration mode of operation, the same connections to the arbitration control bus provide signals which are decoded at each bus master device to provide a configuration status which indicates whether other bus master devices requiring arbitration are connected to the arbitration control bus and whether the arbitration control circuitry included on the particular device will be enabled to perform the arbitration. Accordingly, single point arbitration of a commonly accessed bus is configured without adding an external arbiter circuit to the bus system or otherwise increasing the I/O requirements of the bus master devices.